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Council rejects amendment to remove mayor’s appointment in reapportionment selection; recommends 'nominated' wording instead
Summary
On chapter 2 section 2.4, the Committee debated how a fifth member of a reapportionment advisory commission would be selected if the four cannot agree. A proposal to remove the mayor’s appointment power failed; the Committee voted to recommend changing 'appointed' to 'nominated.'
Council members spent substantial time on section 2.4 (reapportionment advisory commission), focused on the fallback if three of four commission members fail to timely designate a fifth member.
Councilman Henry moved to remove language that would permit the mayor to appoint a fifth member if the commission could not agree; he said the council should make that appointment. Supporters argued the council should retain the authority; opponents and others warned that without a mayoral backstop the commission could deadlock and that prior commissions had faced stalemate.
The Committee debated alternatives, including having the commission propose procedures or having the mayor provide a nomination that the council confirms. After discussion, a roll-call vote on removing the mayor’s appointment failed (13 against, 8 in favor). Later, the Committee voted to recommend that the Charter Revision Commission substitute the word 'nominated' for 'appointed' so that the mayor would nominate and the council confirm.
Proponents said 'nominated' clarifies council control through confirmation; critics worried it left the underlying stalemate problem unresolved and urged the commission to return with clearer procedures. The Committee will forward its language preferences and questions to the Charter Revision Commission for further drafting.
